Mail-deposit box.



No. 792,546. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905.

F. H. NICHULS.

MAIL DEPOSIT BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1904. RENEWED APR. 3.1905.

'edmckoh,

wihwoaeo Nrrsn STATES Patented June 13, 1905.

ATENT FFICE.

MAIL-DEPOSIT BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,546, dated. June 13, 1905.

Application filed May '7, 1904. Renewed April 3, 1906. Serial No. 253,631.

To (I/ZZ 11/71/0172, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED HAMMOND N ICH- oLs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail Deposit Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mail-deposit box in which a package-receptacle and a letter-receptacle are detachably joined, the separate carriers doors through which the contents of the receptacles are removed being operatively connected and fastened by one padlock or look of other form.

It has been found by experience that carriers when making their collections are apt to skip anumber of the ordinary package-boxes if they are late in their rounds, as the time required to open and close each box and collect the contents thereof when taken in the aggregate is quite appreciable. Therefore by omitting the package-boxes a collector is able to go over his route within schedule time. At times trouble is caused by this omis sion of carriers, as packages which need prompt attention are delayed. In my invention' both letter and package boxes are opened at the same time, the doors being in juxtaposition and fastened by a single lock, a speedy collection can be made. It also enables the carrier to see at a glance if there are packages to be collected, as both sections are opened simultaneously, thus saving for the carrier, if no packages are found, the time required to open, examine, and close a separate box. Again, as there are only one-half as many locks to open and close a collector will rarely skip a box. The arrangement also enables as many collections to be made from the package-boxes as from the letter-boxes, a condition which at the present time does not always exist. The expense is less, as but half as many locks are required.

If the conditions of the service required it, instead of a package and letter box being joined, two letter-boxes or two package-boxes could be connected, and, if necessity arose, it would be very easy to unite three or more boxes in such relation to each other that a the small cost therefor.

single door only would suflice to close the openings in all the boxes.

A further advantage gained by the use of my invention consists in the ease and rapidity with which repairs can be made without removing the receptacle from its station, and For instance, should one of the sections be injured or broken, leaving the other perfect, the injured section could be quickly separated from the uninjured one and a new section applied without re moving the receptacle from its station.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of that part of my mailing receptacle into which packages are dropped. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the letter-receiving box. Fig. 3 is a front view of my mailing receptacle supported on feet, about one-half the package box being removed, while portions of that remaining are broken away to expose concealed parts. Fig. 4: represents a side elevation of my invention, the upper half being in section and a portion at the base broken away. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of the coupling for connecting the letter and package boxes to each other.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts on all of the figures.

The mail-receiving receptacle(shown in operative position in Fig. 4:) consists, primarily, of two main boxes or sections Aand B. (See Figs. 1 and 2. (The section A receives the packages and the section B letters. Both sections, however, may be letter-boxes or package-receptacles. The sides of the boxes where they contact when brought together are made true, so that when connected the joint between them will be water-tight. The drop-openings in the boxes A and B are closed byswinging boxes (0 and 7), respectively, of well-known type, while the side openings through which the mail-matter is withdrawn from the boxes are respectively closed by locked doors a its outer end. A washer F is placed between the hub of the handle D and the inside of the back a of the box A to give abroad bearingsurface on said back. Through the opposing face 7/ of the box B are two vertically-elongated openings H H, into which the bar or button E is passed when the boxes Aand B are to be connected. The size and shape of the openings H are such as to allow the buttons when in vertical position to pass freely therethrough to the inside of the box B. Attached to the inside of the box B, on each side of the openings H, are wedge-shaped blocks 1 J, the faces of which are preferably corrugated or roughened, as shown. The block I on one side of each opening is reversely placed to that J on the opposite side of the same opening.

lVhen the boxes A and B are to be connected, they are placed together and the handles D turned so that the buttons E can pass through the openings H, after which the handles are moved in reverse direction, and the ends of the buttons riding up the inclined faces of the wedge-blocks I J will lirmly unite the two boxes.

The edges of the doors a 7), through which the contents of the boxes are witlnlrawn, lie in the same plane as the opposing sides of the boxes and are connected in any suitable manner when the boxes are joined to cause them to move as one. Staples G G, fastened to the sides (/1 5 of the respective boxes, project through openings, one in each door, through which staples the loop of a padlock K passes. If desired, I may substitute for the doors a Z) a single door L, Fig. 4, extending across the openings in both boxes.

The device for fastening the boxes or sections together may also be used to secure the receptacle to a house, telegraph-pole, or post by first fastening a metal plate thereon.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a mail-deposit box, the combination of a plurality of separable sections, a rotatable shaft secured to one section and having a handle, a turn-button on said shaft adapted to pass through an opening in the other section, and wedge-blocks reversely disposed on each side of said opening adapted to be engaged by the turn-button and hold the sections [irmlyt0- gether.

2. In combination, a plurality of mail-receiving receptacles, each receptacle being complete in itself, means for temporarily connecting said receptacles to bring their collectingopenings in horizontal line,an independent closure for each opening,and means on each receptacle near their contacting faces adapted to receive an individual locking device for each closure or single locking device for both closures.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in. presence of two witnesses.

FRED HAMMOND NICHOLS.

WVitnesses:

MINNIE J. AsrINwALL, DAVID A. HEALEY. 

